Anyone here an ex-South Melbourne supporter?

[Stealth bomber]

Since the Fitzroy board is so active, it made me think of how many old South supporters were around and if any of them posted here.

So does anyone here go all the way back to South?

 

[Sydneyfan]

Being born in Sydney I wasn't a South supporter but since I've become a Swans fan I've read up on South's history since that's the history of my favourite team, the Swans.
I would of liked to of gone to some games at the Lake Oval to see the Bloods play.

 

[Bloodstained Angel]

Only just Stealth

In 1981 I emigrated to Australia from New Zealand and passed through Melbourne on my way to Adelaide.

In those days Richmond was my favourite team in the VFL because they shared the Black and Yellow colours of Wellington and I also remembered their fine demolition of Collingwood in the 1980 GF (the first ever game of Aussie Rules seen on NZ tv)

Anyways - for some reason I got on the wrong tram and ended up at Lakeside Oval instead of the MCG and found myself watching the Swans instead of the Tigers.

Didn't matter though - it was a magic atomsphere at that old ground, and although South got whacked (by Norf) I was mighty impressed by the Red and Whites and especially the passion of their fans ! 1981 was the last ever year of South Melbourne and it was quite a colourful scene at Lakeside because the 'Keep South at South' people were out in force with giant protest banners, etc.

I was too much of an outsider and a foreigner to really feel strongly about South in those days. I didn't really have an opinion about whether they should go or stay.

Moving to Sydney and playing Sunday games for a national live TV audience was bloody good though - it meant that people outside Victoria finally got to see regular VFL action on TV and the fact that it was the Swans only made it better.

I feel priviledged and very lucky that I started following the Swans at the time I did - I got to have at least a taste of the old South / Lakeside Oval culture.

cheers